Origin
Meriden, CT
Evening in Meriden on Friday
Local time
7:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Meriden, CT to Kent, CT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
49.6 mi
80 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Meriden, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Kent, CT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Meriden, CT to Kent, CT covers 49.6 miles and takes about 1h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 84, CT 73, Segar Mountain Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.7 miles on I 84. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.98 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 49.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Meriden, CT to Kent, CT covers 49.6 miles and takes about 1h 19m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 84 is the longest continuous segment at about 7.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (I 691): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 691 West: Waterbury
Navigation decision point
Toward I 691 West: Waterbury
5
2.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 691
Merge onto I 691
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
5.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 84 West: Waterbury
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 8B
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
8
15.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
CT 73
Take the exit onto CT 73 toward CT 73: Oakville, Watertown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 31
Toward CT 73: Oakville, Watertown
6
49.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Meriden, CT to Kent, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Watertown along the way.
Watertown
15.4 mi in
|
~21m
|
via CT 73
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 84 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| CT 73 | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Segar Mountain Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| Litchfield Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| Bantam Road | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Kent Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Bantam Lake Road | 3 mi | 5m |
| Woodville Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
I 84
— 7.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Meriden, CT and Kent, CT.
1
Start on West Main Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Continue on Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 691 West: Waterbury
4
Merge onto I 691
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 691
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward I 84 West: Waterbury
6
Merge onto I 84
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 84
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 20
Toward CT 8 North: Torrington
8
Merge onto CT 8
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
CT 8
9
Take the exit onto CT 73
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
CT 73
Exit 31
Toward CT 73: Oakville, Watertown
Use the slight left lane.
10
Continue on CT 63
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Litchfield Road
11
Continue on CT 63
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Watertown Road
12
Turn left onto CT 109
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
East Street
13
Keep slight right at fork onto Bantam Lake Road
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Bantam Lake Road
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 202
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Bantam Road
15
Continue on US 202
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
Litchfield Turnpike
16
Turn right onto CT 341
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Warren Road
17
Continue on CT 341
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Woodville Road
18
Continue on CT 45; CT 341
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Lake Road
19
Continue on CT 45; CT 341
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Kent Road
20
Continue on CT 341
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Segar Mountain Road
21
Turn straight onto CT 341
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Kent Road
22
Continue on CT 341
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Maple Street
23
Turn right onto US 7
137 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Main Street
24
Turn sharp left
79 ft
·
3 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.8 mi from Meriden, CT · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.8 miles from Meriden, CT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Kent, CT
The final approach into Kent, CT usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.98 one way
$15.97 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $8.79 | $17.57 |
| premium | $4.86 | $9.50 | $19.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.95 | $21.90 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.05
Litchfield Turnpike
(0.8 mi)
$0.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$0
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.34 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.94 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Kent, CT
Evening in Kent on Friday
Local time
7:31 PM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Washington, CT
25 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Meriden, CT to Kent, CT covers 49.6 miles and takes about 1h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 84, CT 73, Segar Mountain Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.8 miles from Meriden, CT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.98 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.9 miles (I 691): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Meriden, CT to Kent, CT, road signs begin pointing toward Watertown along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Weir Farm National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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